Dispenser for tablets or the like



Dec. 28, 1937. J. H. DONNELLY I 0 DISPENER FOR TABLETS OR THE LIKE FiledApril 20, 1934 milk I N VE N 7'02 John H Dunne/l) By L mar 1 ATTORNEY).

Patented Dec. 28, 1937 PATENT OFFICE 2,103,520 v l I nrsrsnsna FoaTABLETS on THE mm John H. Donnelly, Elmhnrst, N. Y., asslgnor ofone-half to Samuel E. Witt, New York, N. Y.

Application April 20, 1934, Serial No. 121,453

4 Claims.

This invention relates to a dispenser for tablets, pills, or the like,in the nature of a small container which, by manipulation of partsthereof, may be made to eject tablets or the like singly 5 while beingnormally substantially closed.

Various arrangements have heretofore been proposed for the dispensing oftablets or the like from a container in such fashion that no more thanone will be emitted at one time.

this type of container by providing an arrangement which not only servesfor the single ejection of tablets, but which is also of simple andinexpensive construction and serves as a perfectly 5 satisfactorycontainer.

, It will be understood that where the term tablet is used herein, it isintended to apply to small pellets of any form. It will be obvious thatthe invention is applicable for quite general .20 use.

Detailed objects of the invention will be apparent from the followingdescription read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view, partly broken away, showing one embodimentof the invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view as indicated at 2-2 in Fig. 3 showing a bottomportion of the container, the cover being removed;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken on the plane indicated by Z. -3 ofFig. 1; r

Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical section taken on the plane indicated at4-4 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section illustrating a modified form of theinvention;

Fig. 6 is a section similar to Fig. 3 but showing a furthermodification;

Fig. 7 is a longitudinal section of another modification taken on theplane indicated at 40 'I-l of Fig. 8;

' Fig. 8 is a horizontal section through this last modification;

Fig. 9 is a transverse vertical section through the same taken asindicated at 9-9 in Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is a plan view of still another modification;

Fig. 11 is a horizontal section taken below the cover of themodification of Fig. 10; and P Fi 12 is a transverse vertical sectiontaken on the plane indicated at l2-i2 in Fig. 11.

Referring first to the modification illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4,inclusive, there is provided a bottom member for the container indicatedat 2 having about its edges upturned flanges 4 whose continuity isinterrupted at 6 to form an end It is the l0 object of the presentinvention to improve on opening. A portion 8 of the flange is inturnedto form a barrier, as indicated in Fig. 2. This barrier may be formed inother fashions. A portion of the flange may be bent over as indicated atill to form a partial top cover, the purpose of which will be indicatedhereafter. This portion in may be separate-and soldered to the upwardlyextending portion of the flange, or may be provided in any othersuitable fashion. While this type of dispenser is indicated as oval inform, it will be obvious that it may be rectangular, square orsubstantially circular.

The central portion of the bottom 2 is pressed upwardly as indicated at,l2 and is provided with a slight upwardly projecting element l4 punchedtherefrom and designed to form a stop. The side portions of the flange 4are longitudinally grooved as indicated at I 6 so as to form anengagement whereby there may be permanently associated with the bottom atop, indicated at l8, provided with a downwardly extending flange 20extending about the portion of the bottom which is provided with theopening 6, and at the sides to a position indicated at 22, the flange onthe sides being provided with an inwardly directed groove providing alinear projection 24 engaging within the'groove l6 to thereby lock thetop and bottom together. The top of the container has a downwarddepression 26 formed therein which closely engages the upward projectionl2 of the base and is provided with a downward projection 28 acting toengage the stop M to limit longitudinal relative sliding of the top andbottom.

By reason of the construction just described, there is provided anannular groove in which there may be located tablets 29, the continuityof this groove, so far as movement of the tablets is concerned, beinginterrupted by the inwardly directed portion 8 of the flange;

The operation of this modification will be evident from itsconstruction. Normally, the cover occupies a left-hand position relativeto the bottom as viewed in Fig. 3, so that a complete closure of thecontainer is effected. By engagement of the fingers within thedepressions I2 and 26, the two portions may slide longitudinallyrelative to each other, bringing the cover to the right, as indicated inFig. 3, and thereby forcing outwardly the tablet adjacent the opening 6.The flange portion ill is such that during such opening movement limitedby engagement of the stops 28 and I4, there is no opening provided atthe left of the container which would permit egress of a tablet.Limitation of movements of the members may also be provided by makingthe width of either or both of depressions l2 and 26 greater than thewidth of the opening 6. It will be obvious that tilting of the containerwill serve to effect the location of the successive tablets in positionto be ejected.

Whereas in the modification just described it is necessary to manuallymove the top and bottom to closed position, there may be provided suchmeans as indicated in Fig. 5 as will effect the automatic closure. Inthis case, the construction is similar to that heretofore describedexcept that the bottoms of the depressions in the bottom 30 and cover 32have their central portions so shaped, as indicated at 34 and 36, as toprovide a cylindrical housing for a spring 38. By the formation ofsemicylinders at 34 and 36 housing a spring which overlaps the ends ofboth of them, it will be obvious that an opening movement will tend tocompress the spring, the opening being limited by full compression ofthe spring. Release will thereupon permit the spring to slide the bottomand cover to closed position.

In the arrangement illustrated in Fig. 6, whose operation is similar tothat of the modification illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4, a larger reservoircapacity is provided by restricting the depressions 44 and 46 formed inthe cover 40 and bottom 42 respectively. The remaining portions of theconstruction may be identical with those illustrated in the firstmodification. Limitation of the opening movement may be effected in anysuitable manner by the provision-of abutments. In the modificationsheretofore illustrated, the ejection of a tablet takes place at theouter periphery. It is possible to secure an inner ejection of a tabletby the use of the modification illustrated in Figs. 7 to 9. In thisarrangement, the bottom 48 is provided with a continuous outer flange50. An inner flange 52 corresponding to the depression of the bottomheretofore indicated, extends substantially the full height of the outerflange 50 and is connected with a wall portion 54. The flange 52 isinterrupted as indicated at 56 so as to permit the passage therethroughof a tablet. A cover 58 has a sliding locking connection, provided by aplurality of grooves, with the bottom, the side flanges 60 overlappingthe outer flanges 50 of the bottom. A curved wall 62 is carried by thetop 58 and is designed to engage a tablet and carry it through theopening 56 to an ejecting position. An extension 64 of one side of, theflange 52 provides an interruption in the continuity of thetablet-containing space of 'the container corresponding in function tothe portion 8 of the flange indicated in Fig. 2. Projections 66 and 68are provided to limit relative movements of the bottom and cover.

It will be obvious that manual manipulation of the container hereillustrated when it is resting in the hand will serve to eject into thehand one of the tablets which is located within the curvature of theelement 62.

In the modifications heretofore described, a longitudinal slidingmovement serves to effect ejection of a tablet. Relative rotary movementof a bottom and cover may be used instead, as indicated in themodification of Figs. 10, 11, and 12. In this last modification, abottom 10 is provided with a continuous outer annular flange indicatedat 14, while its bottom is provided with an upwardly extending portion16 providing an inner flange 18 interrupted at 80 but continued overthis interruption as a spring wall 62 extending into the annulartablet-receiving space. The cover 12 is provided with a downwardlyextending flange interlocking by the grooved arrangement shown with theflange 14 so that relative rotary movements of the cover and bottom maytake place but axial separation is prevented. The depending flange ofthe cover is continued at 84 to form an inwardly extending wallinterrupting the continuity of the tablet-receiving space. I

Marks, indicated at 86, may be used to indicate the number of tabletsstill remaining within the container, these marks being viewed throughan opening 88 in the cover.

The mode of operation of this last modification will be evident from aconsideration of Fig. 11, from which it will be seen that as the coveris rotated relative to the bottom in the direction in dicated by thearrow, the tablets will be successivly engaged with the spring 82provided by the extension of the flange and, after clearing the edge ofthe opening, will be ejected by the spring action of this member. Itwill be obvious that the construction is such as to prevent thecontinuous ejection of tablets so that there will not be accidentallyejected from the device more than one at a time. It may be pointed outthat this is a common feature of all the modifications.

The various modifications of the invention hereafter described may beinexpensively made from sheet metal, celluloid, cardboard, fibre, or thelike, and may be readily assembled by automatic machinery of well knowntype. The various containers may carry advertisements or indications oftheir contents. The shape and size of the various modifications may varyto a considerable extent without departing from the spirit of theinvention.

What I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. A dispenser for tablets or the like comprising a bottom member, acover member therefor arranged for movement relative to the bottommember, one of said members being provided with an opening, and theother of said members being arranged to completely close said dispenseragainst exit of a tablet and provided with means whereby, ,when themembers are moved relatively to each other, the dispenser is opened anda single tablet is exposed and ejected through the opening, and springmeans for closing the container after a tablet ejecting operation, saidmembers being arranged to confine the tablets to a single layer, andsaid ejection through said opening taking place in the direction ofextent of said layer.

2. A dispenser for tablets or the like comprising a bottom member havinga bounding flange which is continuous except for an opening thereinadapted to pass only a single tablet at a time, and acover memberslidable relatively to the bottom member, arranged to completely closesaid dispenser against exit of a tablet, and provided with a tabletengaging means movable towards said opening whereby, when the membersare moved relatively to each other, the dispenser is opened and a singletablet is exposed and ejected through the opening, said tablet engagingmeans serving to prevent the passage of another tablet to said opening,said members being arranged to confine the tablets to a single layer,and said ejection through said opening taking place in the direction ofextent of said layer.

3. A dispenser for tablets or the like comprising a. bottom member, acover member therefor arranged for movement relative to the bottommember, said members being arranged to provide an annular channel forthe reception of tablets, one of said members being provided with anopening, and the other of said members being provided with atablet-engaging means movable towards said opening whereby, when themembers are moved relatively to each other, a single tablet is ejectedthrough the opening.

4. A dispenser for tablets or the like comprising a bottom member, acover member therefor arranged for movement relative to the bottommember and arranged to completely close said dispenser against exit of atablet, one of said to prevent the passage of another tablet to said 10opening.

JOHN H. DONNELLY.

